Electric mercury-switch



R. E. DE LOS MUNTEROS.

ELECTRIC MERCURY SWITCH,

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11, 1.919.

L LlOl.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

RAFAEL ESPINGSA DE LOS MONTEROS, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

raf-inici.

lapplication filed August 11, 1919.

ment in Electric Mercury-Switches, of`

which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a switch which is placed in thehandle of any convenient instrument, as a cigar lighter, and is so made,arranged and disposed that when placed in one position the switch isopen,'and when placed in another position the switch is closed so thatby a mere shifting of position, it is possible to turn a current on oroff.

This object is accomplished by my invention, one embodiment of which ishereinafter more particularly set forth.

For a more particular description of my invention, referenceis to be hadto the accompanying| drawings, forming a part hereof, in which;-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of my switch when appliedto a cigar lighter, the switch being lshown as held by a clip.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of my improved switch.

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the same.

Fig. 4 iS a of the arrows.

Throughout the various views of the drawings, similar referencecharacters, designate similar parts.

My improved switch 1 may be supported in anysuitable way, as by a clip 2secured to a wall 3, andit is provided with a handle 4 with a perforatedtop through which extends a suitable conductor 5, as a cable throughwhich electricity is passed to the switch. The handle 4 may be made ofany suitable material, but it is preferably made out of an insulatingmaterial as ebonite. At the bottom of the handle 4 is a metal or otherring 6 which is screw threaded to the ebonitehandle and holds a. micaplate 7 against the handle 4. In the embodiment Speciication of LettersPatent.

sectional View, taken on the; line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in thedirectiony f tion 25 which ,extends through correspondratenteaaug. ai,ieee..

Serial No. 316,536.

of my invention which is shown herein, this mica has acentral opening 8through which access may be had to a coil 9 of platinum or other wire ofhigh resistance which has the capacity of being heated withoutoxidizing. This wire 6 rests in a porcelain or similar insulator 10provided with suitable recesses to receive the coil 9 and the conductor1l which runs to it, and is preferably integral herewith.

The cable 5 has one terminal 12 running to a screw 13, and the otherterminal 14 running to a postl, as shown in Fig. 2, and theseposts'aremounted in hard rubberor any other suitable insulating medium16. The insulation 16 is perforated to receive sockets 17 and 18, theformer-of which is connected to the screw 13 and the latter to the screw15. The socket 17 is secured to a metal tube 19 which ,is 'carefullymounted in suitable insulations 2O and 21, and at its end remote fromthe insulation 16 it engages a socket 22 secured in the insulation 10,and this socket has a screw 23 correspondin to the screw 13 which screwis connecte to the conductor 11, as shown.

The insulation 2O is preferably in the form of a tube which rests snugin the bore of the handle 4 and rune from the insulation 16 to theinsulation 10. It holds the insulation 21 in place which also extendsfrom the insulation 16 to the insulation 10 and engages a metal plug 24to which the socket 18 is secured, and this plug also rests in theinsulation 16 and has a central projecing insulation 26 which supportsthe plug 24 from a second plug 27 whichhas a suitable cavity therein toform a chamber 28 with the insulation 26 and projection 25 so thatmercury 29 in said chamber, when in the position shown in Fig. 2, formsan electrical connection between the projection 25 and the plug 27 andthereby closes the electric circuit at this point, and when the switch 1is inclined or inverted, the mercury; runs away from and uncovers theprojection 25 and thereby opens the circuit at this point. The plug 27has asocket 30 which corresponds to the sockets 22, 17 and 18, and thissocket 30 is engaged by a screw 31 which is attached to the wire 11 sothat when the switch is in the position shown in Fig. 2, a completecircuit is formed from the cable 5, terminal. 14 to the other terminal,12 as follows:

The wire 14:v is attached to the screw 15, thence to the socket 18 tothe plug 24 and thence through the projection 25, mercury 29, plug 27,socket 30 and screw 31 to the wire 11, and thence through the coil 9,wire 11, screw 23, socket 22, tube 19, socket 17, screw 13 to the wire16. When the switch 1 is put in the position indicated in Fig. 1, themercury 29 in the chamber 28 runs away fromfthe point 25, as abovedescribed, and thereby opens the switch.

From the foregoingit is apparent that the circuit isclosed when theswitch is inverted and opened when the switch is upright.

Vhile I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it isobvious thatiit is not restricted thereto', but is broad enough to coverall structures that come within the scope of the annexed claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A handle having a chamber in which is placed a plug having an insulatedtop and two screws, each of which engages a socket, a conducting tubeattached to one socket and a plug attached to the other, a projection onsaid plug and an insulation on the

